Jordan establishes Middle East's first drone and electronic warfare test range
The Jordanian test site will support development and certification of UAS, C-UAS and EW technologies. (Photo: JADDB)
The Middle East’s first test site for uncrewed aerial systems (UAS), counter-UAS (C-UAS) technology and electronic warfare (EW) has been officially launched in Jordan.
Jordan's UAS test site was inaugurated during a series of tests on 27 October, which included drone delivery and inspection flights. In the first of these, carried out by Deep Element in cooperation with the Jordan Defense and Development Bureau (JODDB), a Jordanian VTOL UAS delivered medical supplies from the test site to a targeted location.
The test site is intended to provide a 'living lab' for development of doctrine, training, certification, and UAS and C-UAS validation. The range will also allow for testing of EW technologies to counter hostile drones, and will support developers in research into these technologies under the umbrella of the Jordanian Armed Forces.
Brig Gen Dr Yousef Alkhatib, Assistant Chief of Staff for Planning, Organisation, and Defence Resources at the Jordanian Armed Forces, said, 'The inauguration of this UAS, CUAS, and EW test site is a momentous occasion for the Kingdom, demonstrating the continuous elevation of our national capabilities across all levels.'
JODDB, the former King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau (KADDB), has displayed a number of small UAS designs at international trade shows in the past.
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